Device for keeping afloat aeroplanes.



F. PILIASI. DEVICE FOR KEEPING AFLOAT ABRPLANES. APPLICATION FILED HOV. s, 1910.

Patented Oct. 3, 1911.

FRANCESCO FILIASI, OF NAPLES, ITALY. l

DEVICE FOR KEEPING AFLOAT AEROPLANES.

Specification ofLetters Patent.

Patented @et 3, will.

Application led November 3, 19.10. i Serial No. 590,528.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Beit known that I, FRANCESCO FILIASI, gentleman, a subject ofthe King of Italy, residing at Palazzo Cellamare a Chiaia, in the city of Naples, Kingdom of Italy, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Keeping Aloat Aeroplanes and the Like, of which the following is a specification, reference being had thereinv to the accompanying drawing. v It may happen, and in fact it has already repeatedly occurred in practice, that an aeroplane is compelled to alight while it is flying-v upon the surface of the sea or crossing a lake. In these circumstances it is necessary to providel the aeroplane with means capable of keeping same afloat, so that the aviator may be able to waitfor assistance.

The object ofthe present invention is a floating device applicable to aeroplanes and capable of working in the due moment and which, besides of being very light, occupies also a very small space so that it offers only a little head resistance to the air during the motion and does not require a noticeable .increase of the power of the motor.

In the annexed drawing: Figure 1 isl a sectional View of one portion of the casing,a

and a portion of the bag, showing the manner of connecting the same with each other and the valve mechanism for releasing air from the casing so that the same may close into and inate the bag. Fig. 2 is an elevation of the complete device showing. the bag inflated. Fig. 3 1s a view similar to Fig.,2 .with thebag collapsed or folded and illustrating the same' inclosed by a paper or other destructible covering.

v The floating device substantially consists in a vessel lfilled with compressed .air and having preferably a cylindrical shape the fore end of which is sharpened for the pur-r pose-of diminishing the head resistance of carries a ring *2n to which a bag '3- of v watertight linen is fixed, which has such. a

lsize that, when it is completely unfolded-,it

. is capable of containing at vthe ordinary pressure all the compressed air stored into the tube -1-. The said bag is rolled up like a cigar, so that it looks like 'a continuation of the tube -1"-, and to keep it lrolled a watertight wrapperf--fl-v of thin paper is provided which is torn in the 'momenti in which the bag unfolds.A k f At thebottom 5'- of the cylinder containing the compressed air is applied a valve -6-, kept closed by the pressure of the compressed air. The valve carries outside a rod -7- which with its end rests against a cam -8- keyed on a shaft 9- which passes through the walls of the cylin# der in two air tight bearings -l0-. The shaft 9- at the outside carries a pulley -K-llon which is wound a rope -12- the end' of which is within the reach of the aviator. By .pulling the said rope the shaft Sl-revolves and the cam -8 pressing upon the rod -7- of the valve compels the latter to open and to give free passage to the air which rushes into the bag -3-.

When this takes place the paper wrapper -4- is torn and thus the apparatus is ready for use. It will be understood that an other Valve construction and any other Ava ve controlling device may be adopted according to the circumstances. As it is convenient to give to the filled bag a flattened i attain av stable equilibrium on the'water. In

this case all the controlling ropes .-12

.will join at a single lever or hand wheel within the rea-ch of the aviator and by turning the said lever or hand wheel ,the simultaneous unfolding of all the bags is produced. Things could also be arranged in such a way that `t-he opening of the valves takes place automatically through the effect of a horizontal plane or of a hollow body connected with the aeroplane, which plane or body, when plunging Vinto the water,

pushes jupward, and disengages a trigger which causes to act a spring which operates the traction of the controlling rope. However, the valves preferably are opened by the aviator himself beforeO the aeroplane .reaches the surfaces of the water; in this way, when touching the water, the bags are already unfolded and ready to work as vioats and moreover through the resistance which they oppose when they are filled, they shall have already diminished the speed of the aeroplane. Lastly it Will be convenient to provide the bag wit-h a small valve, to which may be adapted a pump intended to compress the air in the same way as it is practiced for ina'ting the pneumatic tires, in case the bag should undergo any loss of air and it should be necessary to have it refilled after a long stay in t-he water.

Having thus particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim isz.

l. A device for floating aeroplanes comprising in combination, a casing containing air under pressure and provided with an outlet, a valve closing said outlet, an inflatable bag having its opening secured to the casing and arranged to receive air discharged through said valve outlet, means for operating said valve, and a paper bag for retaining said iirst named bag in a folded or collapsed position. L,

2. A device for floating aeroplanes or the like comprising in combination, an elongated casing for containing air under pressure and provided with an end outlet wall l disposed inwardly with respect to the end of the casing wall,0 an outlet valve in said casing wall, anl iniatable bag having an open end, a ring secured to the margin ofcthe open end of the bag and to the margin of let valve for releasing the pressure medium from the casing, means disposed between the end of the casing Wall and said outlet wall for operating said valve, an iniiatable bag having an open end, and a ring secured to' the margin of the open end of the bag and to the margin of said casing, substantially as described. A

In testimony whereof I have `affixed signature in presence of two Witnesses.

FRANCESCO FILIASI.

^ Vitnesses:

IailrnRroy LABACCETTA, TENTAINO LABAQCETTA. 

